Two or more people related by blood, marriage (including step-relations), adoption or fostering and who may or may not live together (National Community Services Data Dictionary, Vers 3, AIHW, 2004). For example, used when researching the extent to which people provide support and assistance for their relatives.

Family.HouseholdFamily

Family: Household family

A more specific term, refers only to related people who live in the same household at a point in time. If not known whether the analysis unit is "Family" or "Household family", use "Family".

Household

Household

A person or a group of persons who share the same dwelling unit and common living arrangements. These common living arrangements may include pooling some, or all, of their income and wealth, and consuming certain types of goods and services collectively, mainly housing and food (Eurostat).

HousingUnit

Housing Unit

U.S. Census: A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or a single room that is occupied (or if vacant, is intended for occupancy) as separate living quarters. Separate living quarters are those in which the occupants live and eat separately from any other persons in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall.

EventOrProcess

Event/Process

Any type of incident, occurrence, or activity. Events are usually one-time, individual occurrences, with a limited, or short duration. Examples: criminal offenses, riots, meetings, elections, sports competitions, terrorist attacks, natural disasters like floods, etc. Processes typically take place over time, and may include multiple "events" or gradual changes that ultimately lead, or are projected to lead, to a particular result. Examples: court trials, criminal investigations, political campaigns, medical treatments, education, athletes' training, etc.

GeographicUnit

Geographic Unit

Any entity that can be spatially defined as a geographic area, with either natural (physical) or administrative boundaries.

TimeUnit

Time Unit

Any period of time: year, week, month, day, or bimonthly or quarterly periods, etc.

TextUnit

Text Unit

Books, articles, any written piece/entity.

Group

Group

Two or more individuals assembled together or having some unifying relationship.

Object

Object

Anything material, but inanimate, that has an independent existence and may be perceived by the senses. Examples: objects of art (paintings, sculptures, etc.) or weapons, or vehicles, etc.

Other

Other

Use if the unit of analysis is known, but not found in the list.

Usage

The element AnalysisUnit is used in the elements LocalAddedContent, NCube, QuestionConstruct, StudyUnit, and Variable. For details (like element repeatability, to allow defining multiple units of analysis), please refer to the DDI 3.1 schema and field-level documentation. If using "Other", specify the value in the OtherValue attribute of the appropriate element.